Hot springs soothe the soul

Stick around the Harrison Gas Bar long enough and you might get the mistaken impression you've stepped into an episode of the television series Corner Gas. While my boys and I shopped for snacks inside the gas station, which incidentally sits on the village's most prominent corner, we couldn't help overhearing the conversations of locals and thinking how much they sounded like a script from the popular TV show. Life can be pretty quiet in a tiny mountain village, but that's part of the charm of Harrison Hot Springs.

Located along the sandy shores of Harrison Lake in the rugged mountains of south-western British Columbia, Harrison Hot Springs has been attracting visitors for centuries. The natural hot springs were first used by the Salish First Nations, but after they were "discovered," the Alice Hotel was built in 1889. In 1925, the existing Main Hotel building of the Harrison Hotel was built and more people began to visit the healing springs. Harrison Hotel was the first resort of its kind in southwestern B.C. and it soon became a popular vacation retreat.

Today, Harrison Hot Springs and Harrison Village remain popular with visitors, but unlike Banff or Jasper, the community has remained small and intimate and somewhat less commercialized. There are just a few hotels, restaurants and shops, but Harrison Hot Springs Resort remains the main draw for visitors to the area.

After we finished shopping at the gas station, we wandered around to a small stand selling locally grown hazelnuts, wild honey and B.C. fruit. I never realized honey came in so many flavours until I met Michael, a villager who manned the stand. After tasting about eight types, I ended up purchasing about $50 worth of honey and hazelnuts -- a year's supply.

Next, we wandered through the rest of the village and did a little window shopping. The only window that seemed to entice my teens was that of the Crazy Fish Bistro, which prominently displayed homemade pies. We made a mental note to come back.

At the Harrison Hot Springs Resort, we decided to hike around the lake. A trail on the edge of the lake leads to the original batRating 2ouse. We enjoyed watching fishermen, wildlife and scenery. A side path just off the trail leads to a lush green forest enclosure that was absolutely stunning.

Later that night while our children enjoyed pizza and a movie in our room, my husband and I ate at the resort's historic Copper Room. The food was excellent and featured dishes made with fresh local ingredients, but the real surprise was the dance floor and the live band that plays every night. There was a time when all the best resorts had dining rooms and dance floors, but it's a hard thing to find these days.

A the resort, there are five pools and we spent a good deal of time relaxing and playing in the hot springs. It's a first-class resort with beautiful scenery and we were not disappointed.

It was the things that we didn't expect that really made the trip special. It seems that in Harrison Hot Springs, you never can tell what might be around the corner -- or even right on it.

Debbie Olsen is an Alberta-based freelance travel writer and mother of four.

If You Go:

- It's a nine-hour drive from Calgary to Harrison Hot Springs or you can fly to Abbotsford with WestJet. Rent a car for the short distance to the village and resort.

- Harrison Hot Springs Resort and Spa has a Get Wet Family Package (Sunday through Thursday) until Aug. 28, which includes two nights accommodation, breakfast for four, in-room pizza one evening, four passes to Bridal Falls Water Park, bumper boat rides at the resort marina, and unlimited visits to the hot springs pools. The price is $549 per family of four.

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